Lifeless Tears
by TheForgottenDreamer
Summary: Something happens to Hermione, and she gradually starts to withdraw from everything. One of her professors takes notice, and he tries to help her through it.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I haven't written anything in a while, so I hope my writing isn't too bad. This story DOES include rape (happens right here in the first chapter). If you don't like reading stories with that type of situation in them, I recommend you find a different story that more suits you, although I really didn't describe the assault at all (flashbacks might come in later chapters). This story has a terrible name, so I might change it when I find something better. Also, this story takes place during Hermione's sixth year. I'm not really sure if Voldemort is defeated yet (the story won't really revolve around it, so it's up to what you want to think; unless I decide to add another plot including Voldemort, that is). And yes, this story is about Hermione Granger and Remus Lupin, but it's not going to be overly romantic (if romantic at all) in the first few chapters. Your reviews might help convince me which way to go on that one in further chapters, so please review! Thanks. Now I hope you enjoy the first chapter!**

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><p>"Granger!" shouted a cold voice down the corridor. Hermione recognized the spiteful voice behind her, and she glanced behind to find the pale, blonde-haired boy trailing a few yards behind her. Hermione quickened her pace, uninterested in what Malfoy had to say.<p>

"Didn't you have enough for one day, Malfoy?" Hermione asked, her voice hostile. She had ran into Malfoy earlier that day. For the second time during their experience at Hogwarts, her fist had connected with his jaw, and she had embarassed him yet again in front of his friends. This time, instead of mocking Hagrid, he had made fun of yet another teacher-Professor Lupin. He had muttered some stupid joke about werewolves and how insane the headmaster must be for allowing such a disgusting breed into the school. Upon seeing a furious Hermione, Malfoy had decided to take it a step further and mentioned how they're about the same worth as Mudbloods.

"How dare you talk to me like that, Mudblood!" he yelled, angrily pulling his wand out of his pocket. "Incarcerous!" Thin, black cords were released from his wand. Catching her off guard, Hermione was unable to react quick enough. The cords bound her wrists and legs, causing her to crash into the hard floor. Malfoy soon caught up to the bushy-haired girl that lay in front of him on the ground, and with a flick of his wand, he levitated her into the deserted classroom nearby. He dropped her into the floor once again, and then he pointed his wand at the door, which closed shut. One more movement with his wand, and the black cords vanished.

"Not so tough now, are you Granger?" he seethed, taking a few steps towards the girl.

"Where'd you learn all those spells, Malfoy?" Hermione spat back, jumping back to her feet and taking out her wand. "I thought you were incapable of such things-"  
>"Expelliarmus!" Hermione's wand flew out from her wand instantly, and Malfoy caught it in his other wand. "I never paid you back, you filthy Mudblood, for punching me." Hermione remained silent, knowing that Malfoy <em>was<em> the one with both wands. "You'll regret it, Granger."

Malfoy carelessly threw Hermione's wand to the corner of the room, making it even further out of reach from Hermione. "CRUCIO!"

Hermione screamed as she collapsed to the floor, every part of her body was searing with pain, as if hot knives were stabbing every part of her. The curse didn't last long, however, and Malfoy lowered his wand.

She didn't know how long she had been laying there, naked, shaking on the cold floor. Everything hurt. She never knew Malfoy would ever do such a thing...and that it would have occurred right here in Hogwarts. Her throat was sore from all of her screams and her feeble cries for help. She had hoped someone would hear, but Malfoy had just laughed mercilessly at her attempts, saying that he had charmed the classroom; her screams were useless. She didn't even watch as he put his clothes back on and left the room, instead she closed her teary eyes.

Fearing that a student or teacher might soon notice her disappearance, Hermione pushed herself up, taking a sharp intake of breath and wincing as she did so. She slowly grabbed her clothes and put them on gently; it pained her to move or even look at her broken body. Once she was dressed, Hermione walked over to the mirror on the far side of the room, placing a cold hand on her ribs as the pain shot from her bones. She stared into the mirror, seeing a lifeless version of her former self looking back at her. Her eyes were red and dull from crying, her face as pale as a ghost. There were dark bruises on her wrists from the binding curse Malfoy had used, and Hermione tugged at her sleeves to cover them, just in case she ran into anyone on her way back to the common room.

Hermione took a deep breath, and she opened the door. Luckily, the hallway was deserted, and she quietly walked out of the room. Her footsteps echoed across the walls, and she headed towards the Gryffindor common room.

Nearing a corner, Hermione glanced behind her to make sure she wasn't being followed. She didn't want to see Malfoy again-

She hit into something-no, someone-and she let out a small whimper. The excruciating pain returned with full force, and Hermione started to sway. Two strong yet gentle hands grabbed her shoulders to prevent her from falling, and Hermione couldn't help but notice how safe, how secure she felt with those hands...

"Hermione?" a kind voice asked. Hermione, mustering up all her strength, stopped her swaying and looked up at the man she had bumped into: Professor Lupin. His face was full of concern. If this had happened at any other time, Hermione would've blushed profusely at the contact. This time, however, she just wanted to get away, to disappear from him, and from everyone else.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going," Hermione said, surprised at how weak and fragile her voice sounded.

"It's fine, fine..." Lupin withdrew his hands from her shoulders, but he still seemed worried. "Are you alright, Hermione?"

_Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry..._Hermione bit her lip and nodded.

Lupin's eyes wandered down to her wrists. Hermione stared down at them too, realizing that her sleeves had been pushed up as a result of their encounter. The bruises were easy to see, and Hermione knew her professor had seen them.

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><p><em>"If you tell anyone what I did, Granger, you'll pay for it," Malfoy threatened between thrusts. "You understand?" Tears slipped down her cheeks, and Hermione nodded. <em>

_"Good. Finally learning to respect your superiors, aren't you Mudblood? If you tell anyone, I'll know." Malfoy backed away, an evil grin plastered on his face._

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><p>"I have to go," Hermione said quickly, trying to distract his attention from the bruises. She was glad that her voice sounded a little bit stronger this time. "I promised Harry and Ron I'd help them with their Potions essay." Hermione rushed past Lupin, not waiting to see his reaction. She hated to lie, but she didn't have any other solution.<p>

"Hermione!"

She didn't look back; she kept on walking.

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><p>Remus Lupin watched as his student walked out of sight. He knew something was wrong; the pain and fear in her eyes had been obvious, and then there was the bruises. Remus pondered whether or not he should follow her, but he decided that it could wait. He had class with her later that day, and surely he could speak to her then.<p>

_But what if she's severely hurt...? Or in danger?_ She had seemed unusually pale; perhaps the bruises weren't her only injury. Remus turned, and glanced down the corridor Hermione had just turned into. She was gone; it would be useless to search for her now. His thoughts focused on Hermione, Remus returned to his classroom.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I forgot to mention, the whole Remus and Tonks relationship in the books/movies did not happen in this story.**

**I was also wondering if you would like me to create a trailer for this story? I have experience with video editing, and I began making one. I actually like how it turned out so far. Let me know if you'd be interested in watching it, and then I'll finish it. Thanks goes to PlayingTheKeys14 for reviewing the first chapter! Reviews are much appreciated.**

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><p>Hermione walked into the empty common room. After looking through the various spell books that she owned, she had finally come across a spell that would remove the bruises on her wrists and legs. She had Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Lupin next, and she wanted to make sure nothing would give away what had happened the previous night; no one could know.<p>

Hermione glanced at the clock, realizing that class had started five minutes ago. Hopelessness stirred inside her: couldn't she do anything right?

_Oh no! I must've took too long looking for spells... _Books always had made her lose track of time.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Hermione walked out of the Gryffindor common room. She had never been late to class before, and despite the spells, her entire body still felt tired and sore. She hadn't been able to sleep the whole night, and she wondered if she should just take a sick day.

_People would get suspicious._ she thought, and she continued to the classroom.

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><p>The door creaked open, and the whole class turned to see who was entering. Hermione stepped into view, and she quickly shut the door behind her. She peered into the class, and her eyes found Malfoy sneering at her. She froze in fear, mentally hitting herself for forgetting that he was in her Defense Against the Dark Arts class.<p>

"Miss Granger, nice of you to join us," Remus announced, watching her carefully. He had noticed that she had not arrived at the Great Hall this morning for breakfast, and he had started to worry that she would not show up to class, either. Hermione broke her gaze with Malfoy and glanced at her professor.

"Sorry I'm late," she said quietly, keeping her eyes locked on the floor as she took her seat next to Harry and Ron. She hoped her two friends weren't too suspicious about where she had been that morning. Forunately, they didn't ask her any questions throughout class.

Hermione couldn't concentrate on the lesson, and instead found herself staring down at her blank sheet of parchment, trying to keep her mind off of the previous night. Harry and Ron noticed her lack of participation, and they exchanged a look of confusion with each other. Normally, Hermione would be the first one to have her hand raised for every single question, and she would have _at least _a few pages of notes.

"...and that's where we'll leave off today," Remus said, and the class began to pack up their materials. "Remember, there's going to be a test on Friday. Miss Granger, may I see you for a moment, please?" Hermione, who had been about to leave, stayed back.

"We'll wait for you outside of class," Harry said as he and Ron passed her on their way out. Hermione nodded, and then she went up to her professor.

"I'm terribly sorry I was late-" Hermione started.

"It's alright, Hermione," Remus interrupted with a small smile. "Everyone has their late days." He paused. Hermione still looked a bit pale, although she wasn't as pale as she had been that morning. Plus, her wrists were bruise-free. "Why were you wandering the castle this morning?"

"I-I left some books in the library and went to retrieve them," Hermione lied.

"You weren't carrying any when I ran into you," Remus stated. Hermione couldn't look into his eyes; she felt guilty lying to him. Hermione opened her mouth, but she quickly shut it when she didn't have an excuse.

"I wasn't able to find them," she finally replied. It was obvious to Remus she was lying, but he decided not to push the poor girl any further.

"You might want to be more careful next time. I'm much more lenient than a few other teachers who wouldn't hesitate to give you detention."

"Yes, professor," Hermione replied, and she exited the room. Like they had said, Harry and Ron were waiting outside.

"What did he want?" Ron asked as soon as he saw his friend leave the classroom.

"He just scolded me for being late, that's all," Hermione replied as the trio began to walk down the corridor.

"He didn't give you detention, then?" Harry asked.

"No, he was really nice about it, actually."

"Well, I'm starving," Ron said. "I reckon we better eat before we head to our next class." Harry agreed, and Hermione hesitantly did as well. She hadn't eaten all day; perhaps food was what she needed right now. They reached the Great Hall to find it crowded with students from all four of the houses. Hermione was relieved to see that Malfoy was not one of the many students who occupied the Slytherin table. The three found some seats next to Ginny and Neville, and Ron immediately began to stuff his face with food. Even though she hadn't eaten breakfast, Hermione still found herself picking at her plate; her mind was far too distracted to eat. Ron and Harry didn't notice as they chatted excitedly about their upcoming Quidditch match against Slytherin.

"Potter," a voice called. A sickening feeling washed over Hermione, and she didn't turn around to see who it was.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked, glaring at his enemy.

"Just wanted to apologize for yesterday," Malfoy said, glancing at Hermione's head. "I deserved that hit of yours, Granger." With that, Malfoy left the table. Hermione stared down at her food, and the sickening feeling started to overwhelm her. She slowly turned around, only to find Malfoy smirking at her from the Slytherin table.

"I-I have to go," Hermione said shakily. She quickly rushed out of the Great Hall. As soon as she reached the hallway, she saw Professor Lupin talking to another teacher. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and then Hermione hastily walked to the girl's bathroom. Once she reached the privacy of a stall, her facade crumbled and she started to cry. She hated how he said her name; she hated how he had the nerve to walk up to her like that. She hated what he did to her last night, and she hated that she couldn't stop any of it.


	3. Chapter 3

"Malfoy apologizing?" Ron recalled in shock. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were on their way to the common room after their last class of the day, and they had been discussing the odd encounter with the Slytherin during lunch. "What's the slimy git up to now?"

"Who knows, Ron," Harry said. "What do you think, Hermione?" Hermione had stayed silent throughout the whole conversation, and the two boys wondered why she was being so unusually quiet.

"I don't know," Hermione said casually. She had been freaked out about it, but she didn't let that on to the two boys. "I don't see why you two are so obsessed about it."

"You reckon he could've been serious?" Ron asked after a short moment of silence. "That he suddenly decided to be nice?"

"Oh please, Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, exasperated. The two boys looked surprised at her sudden outburst. "People do _not_ suddenly stop being rotten!" Hermione hurried past them to the girl's dormitories, leaving Harry and Ron behind.

"What's her problem?" Ron questioned. "She's been acting weird all day."

"I have no idea." Harry stated, and the two boys made their way over to the couch to finish up their homework.

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><p><em>She could feel his hands all over her body, touching her. She placed her hands on his shoulders, and she tried to push him away. She clawed at him, pleaded for him to release her. It didn't make any difference; he was too strong. She felt so weak, so useless. The floor felt cold underneath her naked body, and she panicked, thrashing from underneath him to get away. Suddenly, she felt him go deep inside her, and she screamed and screamed. Her breathing was shallow, and sobs racked her body-<em>

"Hermione!" a voice said, sounding distant. "Hermione, wake up!" She could hear someone screaming; why was someone screaming? A hand grabbed her shoulders, and Hermione realized the screams were hers. She shut her mouth to halt the screams. The hands shook her, and Hermione immediately opened her eyes. To Hermione's relief, the hands released her. She sat up and realized that Ginny Weasley was standing by her bed side, a fearful expression on her face.

"Are you alright?" Ginny asked.

"I-yeah," Hermione replied, nodding her head along with her answer. Her voice sounded shaky. "Just...just a nightmare." Hermione could feel tears streaming down her cheeks as a result from the dream, and she wiped them away with her sleeve.

"Okay," Ginny said, retreating back to her own bed. "Night."

Hermione glanced around the room; other Gryffindor girls were staring at her in the darkness, looking away when she made eye contact. She took a deep breath, and she lay back in her bed. She stared up at the bare ceiling, waiting for sleep to take hold of her again. No matter how much she tossed and turned, however, Hermione couldn't fall back to sleep. Her thoughts kept returning to the nightmare, which was similar to the previous night...too similar.

Sunlight streamed into the room; it was morning. After her restless night, Hermione wasted no time getting out of bed, and she quickly got ready. She wanted to avoid any conversations about what had happened last night, and she knew the rest of the girls would be up soon. Once she changed into her robes, Hermione went down into the common room. A few people were already there, whispering amongst themselves. Hermione froze once she overheard what they were saying.

"Did you hear? Last night that Hermione girl was screaming in her sleep! Reckon that gave everyone a scare. Wonder what she was-" As soon as the people realized Hermione had entered the room, they stopped midsentence. They shifted uncomfortably in their chairs before changing the topic to the next Hogsmeade trip that was rapidly approaching. Hermione hurried out of the room, not wanting to listen to the gossip, and she went to the library to try to take her mind off things. For the first time since she's been a student at Hogwarts, Hermione could not engross herself in the various books that the library had to offer.

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><p>Hermione stared into the simmering cauldron in front of her. Although it was supposed to change into a bright orange, the color had shifted to an ugly, dim shade of yellow. Snape was teaching the class something, but Hermione was entranced by her potion. Each stir seemed to take her mind further away from the room, from everything...<p>

"Miss Granger?" Snape called out. Hermione's attention was brought back to the class.

"Yes, sir?" she asked.

"If you had been paying attention, you would have heard me when I asked you the purpose of aconite."

"I don't know, professor." The name had sounded vaguely familar, but she was too tired to recall where she had heard it.

"A question even the know-it-all cannot answer? Five points from Gryffindor." A few Slytherins snickered at Snape's remark, and Hermione just blinked. Out of all the times Hermione had shot her hand into the air, Snape had only called on her once. Now, the only time she couldn't focus during class, he chose her to answer the question. It wasn't fair, like everything else that had been happening recently.

Hermione turned around, catching the eyes of a few Gryffindor girls who had heard her screaming last night. Suddenly, Hermione realized that this must be what Harry had felt like all those years he had been rumored as 'The Chosen One'. All the stares, all the whispers...Hermione knew it all too well now. With a small sigh, she rested her head on her hand and unsuccessfully tried to focus on Snape's lesson.

When Snape finally dismissed his class, Hermione was the first to leave the classroom. Harry and Ron ran after her.

"Hermione!" Harry called out. Hermione paused, and then she turned around. Like the rest of the school, Harry and Ron had heard about their friend's nightmare. With Voldemort defeated, there wasn't much to gossip about aside from who's dating who, and Hermione had provided the eager students with something else to whisper about.

"Where've _you_ been all morning?" Ron asked a bit too accusingly. Harry might not know much about girls, but Ron knew far less than he did. Ron never seemed to get that girls can get quite emotional over things, and he never put much concern into his comments.

"I've been busy," Hermione defended. "I needed to finish an essay-

"With your responses in class, it's hard to believe you even looked at any of your assignments." Hermione opened her mouth to retort a reply back, but she was too surprised and hurt to say anything.

"What Ron means," Harry said quickly, "is that we were wondering if you're alright?" Harry knew Ron wasn't the best person to talk to when you're feeling down, as he always seemed to get too worked up over the slightest things.

"Of course I am," Hermione said, faking a smile. "Why wouldn't I be?"

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><p><strong>Author's Note: There wasn't much Remus in this one (not at all, actually), but I thought it might be bit weird if they kept running into each other in such a huge castle. I didn't want either of them to seem like they're stalking each other...at least not yet. I'm pretty sure this chapter will be the only one without him, though. Thanks so much for the reviews! I was a bit surprised at how many I received. Thanks goes to HaganeNoUberness, CockneyBird3, Arianna Grace, PlayingtheKeys14, Lucy, OotoriDreams, AnnieIWillKnow, and even to all of you who might be enjoying this without reviewing. I appreciate it. <strong>

**Also, I think I'll upload the trailer I made for this fanfic later today, and I'll put up the link on my profile. I will not be able to update this weekend, but hopefully I'll be able to as soon as Monday comes around.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: I think I might've mentioned this earlier, but this story takes place in Hermione's sixth year. This story strays from the books (it's AU) so Remus Lupin still teaches there.**

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><p>"Harry!" Remus called when he saw the dark-haired boy rush pass him in the hallway. Harry was accompanied by Ron, but like he had suspected, Hermione wasn't with them.<p>

"Yes, professor?" Harry asked with Ron hovering awkwardly next to him.

"Where's Hermione?"

"I dunno," Harry replied. "We haven't seen her since Potions."

"Really?" Remus frowned. "Is she alright?"

"Who knows," Ron replied. He sounded annoyed. "She's been bloody avoiding us."

"What's in there?" Harry questioned, changing the subject. He gestured towards the large suitcase Remus was carrying.

"A boggart," Remus replied. Although he gave a small smile at Harry's curiosity, he still looked concerned. "I thought we could review a few things from previous years on the test tomorrow."

"It's going to be like the final exam in third year, then?" Harry asked hopefully, recalling the unusual maze of creatures they had to get by that year. He had passed that exam with flying colors.

"One half will be a maze, the other half a written assessment. It will consist of all the new material we've covered in the past few weeks as well."

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><p>Hermione hastily walked towards the common room. Suddenly, Malfoy appeared down the hallway, alone. Before she could turn into another corridor to prevent being seen, Malfoy caught her eye and grinned.<p>

"Granger!" he called. Hermione clenched her fists, half out of fear, half out of anger. "Heard you're quite the screamer at night." Hermione changed her path, but Malfoy quickened his pace and chased after her. "I'm talking to you, Mudblood!" His voice was edged with anger now, and he roughly grabbed Hermione by the shoulders and shoved her into the wall. His face was so close; she could feel his warm breath on her cheeks.

_He's going to do it again, he's going to do it again,_ Hermione thought frantically. She instinctively punched him hard in the stomach, and Malfoy recoiled, untrapping her from the wall. Hermione quickly ran into the next corridor, and she sneaked into a deserted classroom. She held her breath as Malfoy's footsteps echoed outside the classroom. The boy soon passed, and Hermione let out a sigh of relief. She swiftly left the classroom and headed the opposite direction. She didn't stop until she reached the safety of the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione saw Harry and Ron sitting on a couch near the fire, and after a moment of hesitation, she walked over to them.

"Blimey, where've you been?" Ron asked, surprised. As a result from all that running, Hermione's hair looked even wilder than usual. Her hands were also shaking with fear.

"I-where've _you_ been?" Hermione deflected. She hadn't seen Harry and Ron in the common room earlier, so she had set off to the Great Hall to find them.

"We ran into Lupin," Harry said.

"Oh? What did he want?" Despite the heat from the fireplace, Hermione shivered; she felt so cold...

"He actually asked us about you, Hermione,"

"_Me? _What did he want to know?"

"He just asked where you were. Then he told us about the boggart he was carrying-"

"A boggart?" Hermione asked sharply. "What's the boggart for?"

"Tomorrow's test, of course," Ron said. "Half written, half maze."

"But...but boggart's were from third year!" Hermione exclaimed. She gave the two boys a searching look, hoping that they had been joking.

"He said we'll have a bit from previous lessons," Harry shrugged. "Reckon it's better for us, if we have easier creatures."

"I don't want to take that written part, though," Ron commented. "Lupin should've just stuck with the maze."

The trio chatted casually for a bit, and then they decided to turn in for the night. When Hermione reached the girl's dormitories, she found that most of the girls were already sound asleep. Hermione slowly got ready for bed; her thoughts were completely focused on the Defense Against the Dark Arts test. She honestly had no idea what to expect from the boggart; it would surely transform into Malfoy, but she hadn't a clue on how she would be able to repel it. Hermione assumed that the boggart would be blocked off from the rest of the students, but Remus, who was already suspicious enough, would have to know if she was able to defeat the creature. She considered asking Fred and George, who were currently visiting Hogwarts as representatives for their shop, for one of their Puking Pastilles. She wouldn't have to worry about anything for the day. Hermione, however, couldn't get herself to like the idea: she never was one to run away from her problems, and she also didn't want to trouble Lupin, as the test must take awhile to set up. In addition, barfing uncontrollably didn't seem like a nice way to pass the time.

Hermione plopped down into her bed. She was tired, but too much was on her mind. Malfoy, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Lupin...it all provided her with another night of restless sleep.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: This chapter is a bit shorter than the last ones but hope you like it anyways. If you like watching fanvids, you can go check out my profile and there's a link to a trailer I made for this story. Thank you to AnnieIWillKnow, immyownsuperman, charlie alice, and MorJayChan for the reviews! I really appreciate them!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione anxiously followed Harry and Ron into the Great Hall with the rapidly approaching Defense Against the Dark Arts test on her mind. She knew she wasn't going to do well on it, and she would hate to see Professor Lupin look at her with disappointment. Or, even worse, if he found out about Malfoy. Who knows what Malfoy would do if she told...

The trio reached the Gryffindor table and took a seat. Food instantly appeared in front of them, and the boys eagerly piled their favorite meals onto their plates. Hermione watched as they ate the food, but she didn't take any herself. Although she hadn't taken one of Fred and George's Puking Pastilles, she still felt like she was going to vomit, and the food only added to the feeling.

"Well, are you two ready for the Defense Against the Dark Arts test?" Harry asked. Ron and Hermione both nodded, and they headed outside.

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><p>Remus stood by the lake, waiting for his students to arrive. Luckily, the weather was cool yet sunny; it was much better than the cold, rainy days earlier that week. He had finished setting up the maze, and he was just in time, too. He watched as Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way down, followed by the rest of his students. Remus was glad to see Hermione back with her friends again, but he couldn't help but notice that she looked a bit ill.<p>

The class listened carefully as their professor explained both the written and the maze part of the test. Once he was done, Remus handed out the written assessment, and the test began.

Hermione looked down at her parchment, answering the questions to the best of her ability. Her best didn't seem to be good enough, however, and Hermione found herself stumped on a few questions. Oh, how she wanted to get up and leave...to the castle, anywhere else. She simply did not want to take the test, and she was only on the written part; the maze was still awaiting.

Soon, all the papers were collected, and the students lined up outside the entrance to the maze. Harry, Ron, and Hermione ended up being last in line. Hermione was grateful for this, and the group waited as the quene in front of them gradually grew shorter. Finally, it was Harry's turn.

"We'll wait for each other after?" Harry asked.

"Yeah," Ron mumbled. He seemed to be concentrating hard on remembering a few last minute spells.

"No, I-I have to...you two go ahead without me," Hermione said, nervously tugging on the sleeves to her robe. Soon it would be her turn, and she didn't want an audience to be waiting when she finished.

Harry walked into the maze, leaving Ron and Hermione the only people left. Next, Ron went in, and Hermione stood alone. Hermione wondered if she should just leave right then, no one was watching. A light breeze lingered in the air, and Hermione shivered. Before she knew it, the signal came for her to enter the maze. She took a deep breath to calm herself, and then she walked in.

The maze consisted of a variety of things; there were spells, creatures, and as the maze went on, Remus had told them to try nonverbal spells, which was what they had recently been learning about. Hermione went through the maze quite easily, forgetting her worries and concentrating fully on the spells. Then she came across the boggart. She walked into the enclosed space, watching as the boggart shifted before her eyes. She was glad that the boggart part of the test had been set up so Remus couldn't see what was happening. The slight bit of joy disappeared, however, when the boggart took it's form. She screamed, and she rushed out of the maze.

"Hermione?" Remus called upon hearing her scream. He moved towards the exit, but Hermione was already running out. "What-?" He stopped his sentence when he saw her sway, and he rushed to her side. "Hermione?" He placed a hand on her shoulder, which caused the witch to jump. Remus immediately withdrew his hand, and Hermione turned to him with unfocused eyes. She felt dizzy. Maybe it was from all the running, all the spells...

Remus hesitantly replaced his hand on her back, and he guided her to a seat. He reached into his robes and found the bar of chocolate that he had brought along, just in case something like this happened. He broke the chocolate in half, and then he further divided the pieces.

"Here, take this," he said, handing her a large piece. Hermione glanced at it for a moment before taking it. She brought it up to her mouth and took a small bite. Warmth suddenly surged through her body, and while it didn't make her feel completely better, it took away the dizziness.

"Do you always carry chocolate with you?" Hermione asked, amused. For the first time in what seemed like forever, she genuinely smiled.

"Only when it's needed," he replied with a small smile. "What happened back there?"

"I...well, you'd know from third year, I've never been too good with boggarts," Hermione said, refusing to meet his gaze.

"If you don't mind me asking, what did it turn into?"

"It-it was the same," Hermione squeaked. She quickly thought back to third year and recalled what it had become then. "Um, it was Professor McGonagall telling me that I failed all my classes."

"You're terrible at lying, Hermione," Remus stated softly, and Hermione looked up into his gentle blue eyes.

"I..." Hermione stuttered. For a brief moment, Hermione contemplated telling him everything. She wanted to; she'd be free of the secret that was already trying to consume her. She snapped herself out of it, however, and stood up. "I better get going." Without waiting for his response, Hermione rushed towards the castle and disappeared.

Once inside, Hermione spotted someone with pale blonde hair appear from around the corner.

"For a second there, I thought you were going to tell," Malfoy said. He grabbed her wrists and held them up in front of him. "If you tell anyone, Mudblood, you'll regret it." Malfoy released his grip on her wrists and left.

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><p>Harry and Ron were staring at the Marauder's Map that was sprawled out across Harry's bed. The two had noticed Hermione's suspicious behavior, and they had decided to find out what exactly was going on. They watched as the ink labeled Hermione Granger entered the castle. To their surprise, Draco Malfoy approached her.<p>

"Bloody hell," Ron said as the two went within snogging distance of each other. "You don't reckon she could be seeing Malfoy, do you? That's the second time we saw them on the map together..." The previous night, Harry and Ron had also peered over the map, and they had witnessed the same thing.

"Maybe that's why he was acting nice to us at lunch the other day," Harry replied. "Because he fancies Hermione."

"Well, let's go tell the git off," Ron said, getting back on his feet. "He's not right for Hermione..."

Harry nodded, and the two exited the common room in search of Malfoy. With the help of the Maruader's Map, it wasn't difficult, and the boys soon found Malfoy walking off in the corridor.

"Malfoy!" Harry shouted, and the Slytherin wheeled around, startled.

"Ah, it's just you, Potter," Malfoy said, his posture relaxing. "Thought you were a teacher..."

"What were you doing to Hermione?" Harry questioned. Malfoy looked surprised.

"That little slut was trying to force herself on me," he lied.

"_What?_"Harry and Ron asked.

"Hermione wouldn't want a piece of trash like you!" Ron exclaimed. Although his voice sounded angry, there was the slightest trace of doubt.

"What makes you so sure, Weasley?" Malfoy sneered. "She's been trying to snog me for a few days now. Could you do me a favor and ask her to lay off? I don't want any rumours started about me and that filthy little Mudblood." Malfoy seemed convincing enough, but Harry and Ron still couldn't picture Hermione doing something like that.

"Why don't you ask her about it?" Malfoy suggested after seeing their reluctunce. "I'm sure she'll try to act all innocent, but she won't be able to come up with a different excuse."

Harry and Ron headed back to the common room. Ron seemed irritated.

"Do you believe him, Harry?" Ron asked.

"I dunno," Harry replied as they reached the Fat Lady. "Let's see Hermione's side of it." He muttered the password, and the portrait swung open.

"Harry, Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "I've been looking all over for you-"

"We just went to see Malfoy," Harry interrupted.

"Malfoy?" Hermione asked in a small voice.

"Yeah, why the hell were you trying to snog him for?" Ron asked.

"What? No, I wasn't-"

"Then what were you doing?" Harry questioned. "We saw you two on the Marauder's Map together."

"I wasn't trying to snog him, I swear, I would never-"

"Just tell us what you were doing, then" Ron said.

"We-we were just...talking."

"What'd you stand so close to him for?"

Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but she didn't have an answer.

"Bloody hell, you were snogging him, weren't you?" Ron said in disgust.

"NO!" Hermione exclaimed. Her eyes were brimmed with tears. "No, please, I wasn't!"

"C'mon, Harry, let's go get prepared for Charms." Harry hesitated, but then he followed Ron, leaving Hermione standing alone in the common room. Instead of heading to class, Hermione rushed into the girl's dormitory and crumpled into her bed. Her stomach ached, with the chocolate being the only thing she'd eaten, and she had a headache as well. However, nothing could compare to the hurt and lonlieness she felt. She silently sobbed into the pillow and time was lost.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: This was a longer chapter this time...sorry if it seemed rushed or had some mistakes, but I was trying to get this finished by this week. Unfortunately, I'm going to be pretty busy this week, so I might not be able to write the next chapter during that time. Who knows, I might end up finishing chapter six and uploading it sooner than expected, but I dunno. Also, I don't think that students at Hogwarts were given tests aside from the Final Exams, but in this story, they obviously do. Thank you SO much for the reviews! They're really motivating. So special thanks to: immyownsuperman, AnnieIWillKnow, MistressMurder93, Lucy, and CockneyBird3.<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

Remus walked down the corridor, dodging the exhilerated students along the way. It was a Hogsmeade weekend and students were cheerfully rushing about, but he was oblivious to all the excitement. His thoughts had been locked on Hermione ever since the test the previous day, and he was thoroughly concerned. He pondered whether to go to Dumbledore about the change he saw in the young witch, but he decided against it. She was one of his brightest students after all, and he trusted her to make her own judgements.

_But what if she needs help making the right one? _Remus thought. He hadn't the slightest clue as to what had happened to Hermione, but what if it had been something terrible? What if it happens again? All the thoughts kept recurring in his mind, when suddenly a voice stirred him from his concentraion.

"No, over there!" Ron said, pointing to a place on the map. It wasn't just any old map; it was the Maruader's. Remus quickly strode over to the red haired boy and his friend. At first, they turned around in fear that they had been caught. Once they saw Remus, they relaxed.

"Remus-I mean, Professor Lupin!" Harry was still accoustomed to calling the man by his first name because of the Order that had been set up the previous year.

"Hello, Harry, Ron," Remus nodded in both of their directions. His eyes were focused on the map. He furrowed his brow in deep thought. Perhaps it would be useful to have the map in his possession at the moment. "Harry, would you mind if I borrow that?"

"Er..sure," Harry asked, handing Remus the map. Remus was one of the creators after all. Their professor nodded in thanks and walked off.

"He's acting a bit weird, don't you think?" Ron asked as the two watched their distracted professor head off.

"Yeah, he is," Harry replied, and the two returned to their pace as they left the castle. "Ron, I don't think Hermione would snog Malfoy." Harry had been thinking about the previous night, and he realized Hermione probably had been telling them the truth. They were best friends; they wouldn't lie to each other.

"I reckon you're right," Ron said with a grimance. He had acted on the spur of the moment "Too bad Lupin took the map with him. We could've found out if she was still in the castle."

* * *

><p>Hermione woke up and was instantly blinded by light. She slowly rubbed her eyes as she rose from her bed. Hermione caught her reflection from a mirror nearby, and she walked over to get a closer look. Her eyes were red from crying, her hair was a disaster, and she continued to look paler than usual. She let out a small sigh, and then she got to work on her appearence. With the help of magic, she was able to reduce the redness around her eyes and calmed her hair down. Her eyes still looked a little bit puffy, but there was nothing else she could do. She cautiously walked back into the common room, and she realized by the large amount of first and second years that it was a Hogsmeade weekend. She decided to go outside and get some fresh air; Malfoy would've went to Hogsmeade, so she wouldn't have to worry about running into him.<p>

She exited the castle to find the grounds nearly empty. Unlike the past few days, it was much colder and the clouds threatened rain. Shivering, she pulled her jacket closer and continued on her walk. Soon, a few raindrops struck her face, and she rushed over to the bridge; there was an overhang there that would prevent her from getting wet.

Once her feet transitioned from the soft grass to the hard wood, Hermione slowed her pace. She suddenly realized that she wasn't the only one who occupied the bridge, and the other occupant was gazing out with his hands on the railing. Hermione instantly recognized him; it was Professor Lupin. He seemed extremely distracted; his eyebrows were furrowed, his hands clenched tightly on the railing. Before she could do anything, he turned around and caught sight of her.

"Hermione!" he exclaimed in surprise. He took his hands off the railing and took a few steps towards her.

"Hello, professor," Hermione replied quietly with a forced smile. A strong gust of wind blew her curly hair around her face, and she quickly brushed it out of her eyes.

"Isn't it a Hogsmeade weekend?" Remus questioned, his eyes studying her carefully.

"Yes, it is." Hermione felt as if his eyes could see right through her, and she walked over to the edge of the bridge to stare into the sky. Rain was now falling lightly across the grounds, and she spotted a couple of young first years running back inside the castle.

"You decided not to go?" Remus asked, walking up beside her.

"I'm just not in the mood," Hermione said, frowning. "I figure it wouldn't be fun to go alone anyways." She turned to look at her professor, and she couldn't help but notice how kind, how beautiful his eyes were...

"What about Harry and Ron?" Remus asked with a hint of confusion in his voice.

"They...we had an...an argument last night," Hermione answered. She tried not to remember anything from the previous night (or the past few days, really), and she didn't want to cry in front of him. Otherwise, she knew she would end up telling him everything.

There was a brief silence. Remus wanted to ask what the argument had been about, but he didn't want to probe her about every single detail. The soft sound of rain on the roof was the only noise that broke through the silence. Remus wanted to know why Hermione had been acting so different lately, but he didn't quite know what to say. Finally, he decided to just flat out ask her.

"Hermione, did something-"

"Professor Lupin," a voice called from behind them. Both Remus and Hermione jumped at the sudden interruption.

"Professor Snape," Remus greeted the man. His tone was more somber than friendly.

"There are a few students waiting for you in detention," Snape said, his lip curled. His eyes flickered from Remus to Hermione. "You might want to get to the classroom before they get themselves in even more trouble." With that, Snape left with his cloak floating behind him.

"Well, I better go," he said with a small smile. Hesitantly, he left along with Snape.

Hermione watched Remus until he was out of sight. Then, she walked off the bridge. It had begun to pour, and she was instantly soaked. She didn't really care as she was engrossed completely with her thoughts. Remus seemed to be the only one who still treated her like she was human these days: Malfoy acted like he controlled her, Harry and Ron acted like she was a traitor, and even Ginny avoided her. She couldn't believe how many times she wanted to confess what had happened a few days ago to Remus; it was like he was the only one she trusted enough to tell everything to.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: I'm really sorry about the long wait for this chapter! Instead of putting some excuse here, I'm going to save some time and post this chapter already. I was actually going to have this chapter longer, but I decided to just split it into two. Don't worry, the next chapter is going to be pretty intense. :)<strong>

**Thank you SO much to everyone who reviewed! I probably wouldn't keep going without your motivation! Thanks goes to: EdgeOfGlory, CockneyBird3, Lucy, AnnieIWillKnow, Mercyy, astarte, LK-HoGwArTs-hEaDgIrL, Gleefulbabe, circular-illumination, and SilverLinee! Thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **_I apologize for my lack of updates. Life has been crazy for me. I started this chapter awhile ago, and I have only recently got around to finishing it. I haven't really read much of anything Harry Potter related, so I am sorry if anyone is out of character. I am going to try to continue with this story as I do enjoy writing it, but it's not a definite guarantee. Again, thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this fic; it truly inspires me to keep writing. I hope you like this chapter. :)_

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><p>Hermione stared blankly at the various school books spread out in front of her. She was seated in an isolated corner of the common room, the farthest away from the commotion of the students who were returning from Hogsmeade. She didn't have the slightest intention of reading the required chapters for her classes, but she needed to look as normal as she could-and 'know-it-alls' like her were expected to be poured over a book while everyone else was busy procrastinating.<p>

Instead of schoolwork, Hermione was pondering about everything else. She was always supposed to be the one in charge, the one with the plan, the one who knew how to handle everything, the one who would do what was right even if she was threatened against it. She was the one who was supposed to stay rational, and she wasn't. At all.

_Calm down, Hermione, forget about Malfoy. Tell someone. What worse can he-no, don't think about Malfoy. Just a plan. Tell someone. Don't you remember reading stories about those silly characters who kept secrets like this to themselves? It only gave the villain the power to keep hurting them. See, if you tell someone, Malfoy might get expelled. But what if he doesn't...No, he will Hermione, just tell someone. But who...?_

A hand suddenly gripped her shoulder, and Hermione leapt from the chair, spilling her papers and books across the floor. Her eyes immediately searched behind her, only to find a familiar green pair staring back at her with concerned surprise. Upon realizing Malfoy wasn't nearby, she reached for her books with the assistance of Ron and Harry.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry asked, noticing how jumpy and tense Hermione was. He collected a few of her blank papers off the ground and placed them back on the table.

"I'm fine," Hermione replied bluntly. Her heart continued to pound rapidly at the sudden contact, and the thoughts of releasing her secret were long gone. "I just...I have a lot of work to finish, that's all." Harry and Ron exchanged glances with raised eyebrows; both had not seen a single word etched on the parchment, and they doubted Hermione had been finishing up any homework.

"Listen, Hermione," Ron started, deciding to ignore Hermione's erratic behavior. "About earlier...we're sorry we accused you of snogging Malfoy. We know you wouldn't have."

"Do you have to keep bringing his name up?" Hermione said, carelessly throwing the books she had picked up onto the table. She felt like she could never escape from Malfoy; he infiltrated her thoughts, her dreams, her conversations...everything. If only she would have kept her mouth shut, he might not have done what he did. Everything would be normal. She would probably be laughing happily with Harry and Ron right now, or helping them with their homework...

Harry and Ron looked at their friend, stunned. Hermione quickly realized what she had just said and immediately feared that she had given away too much. She gathered her books up and made a dash towards the girls dormitories. Harry and Ron turned to each other; this confirmed that something was terribly wrong.

"Harry, what should we do?" Ron asked, turning to his friend.

"I think I have an idea," Harry replied, and the two exited the common room.

* * *

><p>Remus Lupin sat in his office. He had just graded the essays from his sixth year students, and one had stood out among the rest. It wasn't that the essay was extraordinary; in fact, it was more mediocre and average than the others. The characteristic that made it stand out was the student who wrote it. Hermione Granger was not the type of student to write an average paper. Usually, she would fill the pages with far more information than even he would have. There would be line upon line of her illuminating thoughts and evaluations about the given topic, and it was obvious that she understood the content and researched beyond what the assignment had asked for.<p>

It wasn't just the essay in which Hermione had trouble with. She was bombing all the tests and quizzes he gave, and her lack of participation was concerning. She appeared to be lost deep inside her thoughts during class, leaving her parchments note-free. Along with her lack of participation, she seemed extremely tired and worried whenever Remus saw her. Upon questioning the other professors, they gave him the same observations. For some classes, she had ceased turning in assignments. In others, she had merely stopped achieving as highly as she used to.

He knew Hermione as the brightest young witch that he had ever met, and it concerned him that she had been straying from her personality. Not only has she been doing poorly in her classes, but he noticed she was alone on the rare times that he saw her. She seldomly went to the Great Hall for meals, and when she did, she appeared by herself. She would barely eat anything, which probably attributed to her cadaverous appearance.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Remus checked the clock; it was nearly ten. Students were supposed to be safely locked in their common rooms by this time, and the other professors usually kept to themselves unless there was an emergency.

"Come in," Remus called. Out of old habit from the war, his hand lingered cautiously over his wand. The door slowly opened, and two figures gingerly walked into his office.

"Harry, Ron," Remus greeted, rising from his chair. "I can't say I'm surprised to see you two; James used to break curfew all the time." Harry and Ron walked over to some chairs in Remus' office and took a seat. "So, what do I owe the pleasure?"

"We wanted to get some...advice," Harry replied uncertainly.

"About?" Remus questioned. He knew Harry and Ron wouldn't be fretting over the homework from class, and he didn't know what to expect.

"It's Hermione." Remus immediately froze when he heard the name. Did something happen to her?

"Where is she? Is everything alright?" He took an uneasy step towards the door. Surely Harry and Ron would have been more straightforward and urgent if she was in immediate danger?

"She's alright now, I reckon," Ron said, easing Remus' distress. "She was in the common room when we left."

"We were just worried about the way she's been acting lately," Harry added. Remus listened to every word attentively. "We think...we think it might be related to Malfoy."

"What makes you say that?"

"We've seen her with him on the Marauder's Map," Ron said. "And she gets strange when his name is brought up."

Remus thought for a minute, taking in all the information. His mind raced back to the first day in which Hermione arrived late for his lesson. He recalled that she did seem to have an odd reaction upon seeing Malfoy.

"How about I talk to her about it?" Remus suggested. Harry and Ron glanced at each other, their heads nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, that would be brilliant. You were always one of her favorite teachers; maybe she'll listen to you."

"You two better be off; the later it gets, the more trouble you'll be in if you get caught."

The two boys nodded and obediently left the classroom. Remus returned to his desk hoping to finish grading the remaining essays. His thoughts kept drifting back to Hermione, however, and, after realizing his lack of progress, he decided to get some rest. The following morning he would have class with his sixth year Gryffindor and Slytherins, and he knew that would be his chance to talk to Hermione.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: **_I'm really sorry about the lack of updates…but the good news is, I shall be continuing this story. I'm nearly finished with the chapter following this one, so it shouldn't be long before it will be up. If anyone is willing to beta my chapters…just let me know. I'm not exactly sure how that works, but it would be nice to have someone look over to make sure I don't have any mistakes. Also, thank you SO much to everyone's who's reviewed! I quite honestly might not have regained interest in updating this story if it weren't for you, so THANK YOU!_

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><p>Remus scanned the classroom, looking at every desk until his eyes came across an empty one. Harry and Ron were seated beside it, glancing anxiously at the door. It was time for class to officially begin, yet Hermione had still not entered the room. Remus figured that she would come in tardy, so he began the lesson.<p>

After teaching the students a few new defensive spells, Hermione continued to be missing from the classroom. The students were now trying to practice the spells nonverbally, and Remus roamed the room to give advice and suggestions. Although he doubted a sudden appearance from Hermione at this point, his eyes continued to flicker towards the door every few minutes. He found that he wasn't the only one, as Harry and Ron seemed to be worried as well. Malfoy stood in the corner of the room, practicing the spells with Crabbe and Goyle. Remus didn't know if Malfoy had something to do with Hermione's shift in behavior, but he couldn't help feel a hint of hostility towards him. Harry and Ron had accused Malfoy for numerous events, however, and Remus didn't know whether their convictions were accurate or not.

The lesson was rather successful; most of the students were on their way to mastering the defensive spells not only verbally, but nonverbally as well. The class was soon dismissed, and the students clamored out the door. Harry and Ron were the last to leave. Once the room was free of students, Remus returned to his desk. He knew he had promised Harry and Ron that he would talk to Hermione, but with her sudden absence, it would be a challenging task to accomplish.

* * *

><p>Hermione quickly walked through the corridor. As the majority of the students had class, the hallway was silent except for her footsteps. The still of the silence made her nervous, allowing her thoughts to echo loudly in her head. She didn't know what she was doing, skipping class like this, but she couldn't take it anymore. Harry and Ron were growing suspicious-she could tell. Today, she didn't want to face anyone or anything. She had departed the common room with the other students to prevent drawing attention to herself, but she didn't head towards class. Instead, she took a trip to the Room of Requirement. Nobody could disturb her there, and she felt a bit more comfortable. Although the room was much too deserted and quiet for her liking, she remained there for most of the day. If someone like Harry or Ron saw her, she worried about what they would say. She wanted to hold out the situation for as long as she possibly could, and the Room of Requirement seemed to be her only safe haven. She spent most of her time attempting to catch up on the sleep that her recurring nightmares had taken from her. Towards the evening, she groggily walked out of the Room of Requirement. By now, everyone should be in the Great Hall, filling their plates with items from the wide selection of food offered. She could easily slip into the girl's dormitory without anyone noticing.<p>

Hermione turned into the next corridor, pondering what excuse she could provide to anyone who asked where she had been all day. Suddenly, a door to her right opened, and Remus stepped out. Hermione came to a halt, realizing that she had less time than she had originally thought for creating her excuse.

"Hermione," Remus greeted upon seeing her. He seemed friendly enough to Hermione, but she could see the concern in his eyes. "Where were you this morning?"

"I wasn't feeling well," Hermione said. It was partially true; she hadn't felt normal in a while.

"Did you see Madam Pomfrey?" Remus inquired. Enough was enough; he had to get answers, even if he had to pry them from her.

"I-" Hermione didn't know if he would ask Madam Pomfrey to confirm it if she answered yet. That would buy her time, but he would probably expect some explanations during their next encounter. All she wanted to do was go to the girl's dormitory and be left alone; she was tired of coming up with all these lies to prevent people from finding out her secret.

"Hermione…" Remus could blatantly tell how troubled Hermione was. Harry and Ron had confirmed his thoughts about her, and he wanted to find out what was distressing her. "Why don't we go into my office and talk about a few things?"

_Don't go, don't go, don't go_, Hermione's head told her. With much hesitation, however, she nodded and followed her professor into his office. She was aware that Remus suspected that something had happened, and she knew that this encounter was inevitable.

"Take a seat." Remus gestured to one of the sofas that cluttered the office. Hermione sat down, nervously glancing at the door. Remus walked over to his desk and picked up a small stack of papers. He then took a seat opposite of Hermione and placed the papers on the table between them. After looking at them, Hermione realized that those papers were her essays and assignments that she had turned in during the semester. A small part of her continued to have the desire to be the top of the class, and the grades on those papers made her heart lurch with failure. Everything felt out of control.

"We both know you're capable of much better than this," Remus started. "You really are the brightest witch I've ever met, so would you mind explaining to me why you've been doing poorly in all of your classes?"

Hermione didn't meet Remus' gaze; instead, she stared intently at the papers. She should've left when she had the chance. "I've just been misunderstanding the material, that's all."

"No, you haven't even attempted to learn, Hermione. Your assignments show no effort whatsoever, which is quite a difference from your previous work." Even through his voice was gentle, it made Hermione flinch. She disappointed him. "Harry and Ron are concerned about you, as am I. Something is distracting you, isn't it?"

Hermione looked up at Remus with sad, scared eyes. She remained silent.

"Hermione, did something happen to you?"

"No, I'm fine professor," Hermione said giving an excruciatingly fake and empty smile. "I'll try harder with my classes, okay?"

"Did Malfoy do something…?" Remus asked. It was his last attempt at getting her to reveal what was obviously distressing her, and it was a success. Her face briefly changed from a façade of happiness to a look of sheer horror.

_Fuck, he knows, _she thought, feeling panicked. What would Malfoy do to her if he knew that Remus suspected him?

"I-I have to go." Before Remus could stop her, she rushed out the door. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew that she had to get out of there. Aside from a lone boy walking in another direction, the hallways remained as deserted as they were when she left the Room of Requirement. She hastily turned down a few corridors and was glad when she saw that Remus had not followed her.

* * *

><p>Remus ran his hands through his hair in frustration. How could he help Hermione if she always ran whenever he tried confronting her about her problems? He hoped he hadn't been too harsh or forward with her, but he hadn't been able to get anywhere being polite and kind. With a sigh, he picked up her papers and returned them to his desk. While he was there, his eyes fell on the Marauder's Map that was lying on the corner of his desk.<p>

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he muttered, tapping the map with his wand. He quickly found Hermione's name, walking farther and farther away from his office. Then Remus frowned; the name Draco Malfoy was approaching her.

With his wand gripped tightly in his hand, Remus bolted out the door.


	9. Chapter 9

Hermione was walking down the empty corridor, her footsteps echoing when a figure suddenly emerged from a classroom to her left. Before she could react, a fist connected into her cheekbone. This surprise attack sent her crashing down into the ground. After the shock wore off, fear began to replace it. She looked up at the attacker, his blonde hair and piercing blue eyes confirming her worst fear: Malfoy.

"I thought I told you not to tell, Mudblood," he said as Hermione started scrambling away from him on all four.

"I didn't," Hermione pleaded. Her face hurt, and she was terrified; the hallway was deserted, giving him the power to do anything he wanted with her, similar to before. Despite her fear, she knew her wand was in her pocket. If only she could catch him off guard…

"I heard that you've been talking with the werewolf," Malfoy sneered, taking a few steps closer to her. Hermione took this as her chance.

"Stupefy!" she said, half angry, half fearful. The spell hit Malfoy right in the stomach, knocking him into the wall. Hermione, full of adrenaline, immediately got up and started running.

"Stupid Mudblood!" she heard Malfoy mutter. Hermione turned the corner, searching desperately for a place to hide but finding none. She heard footsteps behind her, but she didn't dare waste her time to look.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" Malfoy shouted behind her. Hermione felt an excruciating pain spread across her back and collapsed to the floor. She could hear the blonde catching up to her, yet his footsteps sounded so distant. Soon, she felt his harsh grip on her arm as he pulled her up. The searing pain continued to shoot through her back, and it only seemed to worsen when Malfoy shoved her hard into the wall.

"You are going to pay for that," he whispered menacingly, inches away from her face. Hermione, plagued with dizziness, found it hard to focus her gaze on him. Not that she really wanted to anyway. She just wanted to sleep. She just wanted for it all to be over.

Malfoy raised his wand, and Hermione closed her eyes in anticipation of another painful spell. Instead, she faintly heard another set of footsteps. Then, there was the sound of a spell, but she didn't feel anything. Malfoy's hands released her, and she felt herself falling. Someone caught her. The touch was much gentler than Malfoy's, but she didn't like it. She tried struggling for a little bit, but her back released another burst of pain. She felt weak, barely conscious of what was going on around her. She opened her eyes briefly to see a concerned Remus Lupin, and then darkness surrounded her.

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><p>Remus turned down the corridor, hoping desperately that he wasn't too late. Not too far down the hall, he saw Malfoy face to face to a frail-looking Hermione. Remus immediately felt anger build up inside of him, and, with a flick of his wand, he sent a spell that hit a surprised Malfoy square in the chest. Malfoy went flying backwards into the wall with a loud crash, and Remus instantly went to Hermione. Luckily, he managed to catch her before she dropped to the floor. She was dangerously pale, and Remus noticed with dismay that the back of her robes were soaked with blood. Remus felt Hermione make a feeble attempt to escape from his arms, but he wouldn't let her. She had to be taken to the hospital wing quickly…<p>

Suddenly, Remus became aware of another figure approaching, his robes floating behind him. It was Snape. His eyes flickered over Hermione, then to Draco. Remus was astonished how Snape's expression had remained stoic despite the scene in front of him.

"I'm taking her to the hospital wing," Remus said. Without waiting for a response, he lifted the limp girl and made his way hurriedly towards the hospital wing. Hermione felt so light in his arms; Remus had noticed that she had seemed to have lost some weight, but he hadn't realized her weight loss had been so drastic. The hospital wing wasn't too far, and he soon arrived.

"Poppy!" he yelled as he set Hermione down on the nearest bed. The healer appeared from her office.

"Oh, dear," she exclaimed when she saw Hermione lying lifeless on the bed. "Merlin, what on earth happened?!" Madam Pomfrey immediately got to work, muttering numerous incantations and gathering a potion or two. While she did this, Remus took a seat on a nearby chair with his head in his hands. If Hermione wasn't alright…it would be his fault, wouldn't it? He shouldn't have allowed her to leave his office without telling him first what was going on.

"Is she going to be alright?" Remus questioned the witch once her movements began to slow. His eyes fell on Hermione. She had a dark bruise under her right eye, which was emphasised due to the pale skin surrounding it. She looked so fragile, lying in front of him on the hospital bed.

"Yes, yes…she should be fine. She'll probably have a bit of nasty scarring, that was an awful spell, but she'll be alright. She's extremely malnourished, might I add, I had to give her a dittany full of vitamins to keep her body fighting…What exactly happened?"

Remus hesitated for a moment. How much would Hermione want him to tell? He figured it didn't matter, she would have to tell the whole story after this. He didn't even know much, anyways. Before he could say a word, however, the door to the hospital wing was flung open. Snape, Dumbledore, and McGonagall hurried over.

"Where's Malfoy?" Remus asked. If that boy wasn't expelled…

"In his dormitory for the moment," Snape drawled.

"After what he's just done?!" Remus exclaimed, rising from his chair. He could feel rage stirring from within him, hauntingly reminding him of the worst nights he had as a werewolf.

"Potter used the same spell on Malfoy last year. Punishment should be given, yes, but there's nothing else to be done." At that moment, Remus could really understand why James and Sirius always had the desire to hex Snape. He longed to pull out his wand and curse him right now for defending Malfoy.

"But surely you must realize that he's done much more than that…? You'd have to be a complete fool-"

"Remus, nothing can be done until Miss Granger wakes up," Dumbledore interrupted calmly. "I assure you, once we hear what she has to say, we will be able to respond properly. Until then, she will be safe here."

Remus nodded grimly. Even though he hated to admit it, he knew Dumbledore was right.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: A HUGE thank you goes to feltbomb, who beta-ed this chapter and who will be looking over future ones as well. All of the changes made were greatly appreciated! :)<strong>

**I would also like to thank everyone who's followed, favorited, or reviewed this story. Reviews really keep me inspired to write, so thanks for all those who have reviewed!**


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